Charging rotating skip bucket



June 19, 1934. K. STEINBACHER CHARGING ROTATING SKIP BUCKET Filed Jan. 6, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR J1me 1934. K. STEINBACHER CHARGING ROTATING SKIP BUCKET Filed Jan. 6, 1.932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Wk OkUvR iQU WQQKURN BU SUE k M SW June 19, 1934.

K. STEINBACHER 1,963,764

CHARGING ROTATING SKIP BUCKET Filed Jan. 6, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR June 19, 1934. STEINBACHER 1,963,764

CHARGING ROTATING SKIP BUCKET Filed Jan. 6, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 19, 1934 CHARGING ROTATING SKIP BUCKET Karl Steinbacher, Portsmouth, Ohio, assignor to Wheeling Steel Corporation, Wheeling, W. Va., a corporation of Delaware Application January 6,

13 Claims.

This invention relates to the 'charging of raw material into a skip charging bucket for transfer thereby to a blast furnace.

In the past, the procedure in filling a blast furnace with raw materials has been faulty in that raw material has been loaded into a skip bucket without regard to Whether the fines were segregated from the coarse materials; and as a result, when the raw materials were in turn transferred to the blast furnace, the distribution of voids and solids throughout the stock column was not uniform.

Essentially, the function of a blast furnace is to bring reducing gases into as intimate contact as possible with all of the particles which go to make up the charge of the blast furnace. The thoroughness or completeness of ore reduction in blast furnaces increases directly with any increase in the intimacy of contact of the reducing gases with the solids charged into the blast furnace. I have discovered that I can considerably improve the regularity with which voids and solids are distributed throughout a typical crosssection of the stock column in a blast furnace by controlling the manner in which raw materials are charged from the skip bucket into the furnace receiving hopper so as to avoid the formation of pronounced valleys and peaks in the receiving hopper. With pronounced valleys and peaks on the charge of raw material in the receiving hopper, there is every chance for the segregation in the receiving hopper of fines and coarse materials. This segregation carries over into the stock column of the furnace with the result that there is a lack of the desired uniformity in the distribution of voids and solids in the stock column.

In order to discharge the skip bucket so as to avoid the segregation of the fines and coarse materials in the receiving hopper, I rotate the skip bucket after the charge of raw material is delivered to the bucket, and control the extent of this angular movement so as to spot the several peaks on the charge of raw material in the receiving hopper at approximately equal intervals in the annular space about the axis of the hopper. By depositing a sufficient number of increments of material in the hopper, and by spacing these approximately uniformly about the axis of the hopper, objectionable segregation of fines and coarse materials in the stock column is prevented. More particularly, I so control the extent of angular movement of the skip charging bucket prior to delivering each increment of raw material therefrom into the receiving hopper that the peaks of the successive increments are evenly spaced about the axis of the hopper and are sufiiciently close together to prevent the segregation which causes the lack of uniformity in the stock column. I have discovered that by 1932, Serial- No. 584,912

per, thepeaks are quite pronounced and segregation is quite likely to result. When the number of peaks is increased, the peaks and valleys are evened out, the distribution of the voids being accordingly made uniform throughout the crosssection of the stock column. To make sure that V under all conditions, the chances for segregation shall be reduced to a minimum, I prefer to divide the charge for delivery into the receiving hopper into six or more increments, the peaks being evenly distributed about the axis of the hopper.

In order to accomplish the desired distribution of the peaks resulting from the delivering of the successive increments to the receiving hopper, I have provided improved mechanism, including a gear adapted to cooperate with a gear on the skip bucket when the latter is moved-into charging position, for rotating the bucket. I have provided, as a preferred embodiment, a reversible plugging motor for rotating this gearing; and I have provided devices for so controlling. the motor that the operator may arrest the rotation of the bucket abruptly when the latter has moved through the desired angle.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown, not as limiting my invention but merely for the purpose of illustrating the same, one embodiment which the apparatus for carrying out my invention may assume,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the skip charging bucket and the charging means there-,

for, the latter being shown principally in central Vertical section;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the motor and gearing for rotating the skip bucket;

Fig. 3 is a detail view in transverse vertical section showing the pivotal support for the bevelled gear housing;

Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram showing one man ner of controlling the motor;

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2, the bevelled gearing being shown in central vertical section;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic plan view showing the distribution of the peaks of raw material about the axis of the receiving hopper;

Fig. '7 is a development of the peaks shown in Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a view, principally in central vertical section, of the top of a blast furnace surmounted by a receiving hopper, the skip bucket being shown in position to deposit another increment of material to the stock charge in the hopper.

My improvement is illustrated in the drawings in connection with a skip bucket 9 which is rotatably supported by a travelling support 10. This support is mounted on track wheels 11 which engage the rails 12. In the particular embodiment shown, these rails are slanted so as to be between and the perpendicular; but it is to be understood that the angle at which the rails are disposed, or in fact whether the rails are inclined at all from the horizontal does not enter into my invention. The bucket 9 is supported from the travelling support 10 by a bell rod 13 passing through a bearing 14. The bucket 9 is rotated by a gear; and in the particular embodiment shown, this gear 15 is mounted on the upper end of the bell rod 13.

The raw material is charged into the skip bucket through a chute 1'7 when the bucket is carried by the travelling support 10 into charging position. The charging means includes in addition to the customary mechanism for delivering the desired amount ofmaterial (not shown), rotating mechanism which operatively engages the gear 15 when the travelling support 10 is moved along the rails 12 so as to bring the bucket 9 to charging position. This rotating mechanism is shown more in detail in Figs. 2, 3 and 5 and includes a motor 19 of the reversing plugging-type. The motor 19 is connected by a flexible coupling to a speed reducer 20. This speed reducer is connected by a flexible coupling to a shaft 21 mounted in spaced bearings 22 and 23. The bearings 22 and 23 are provided in a bracket 24. Driving mechanism is pivotally mounted on the axis of the shaft 21 and is yieldable arcuately about its axis; so that when the bucket is carried by the travelling support 10 to charging position, a small amount of tolerance in the positioning of the bucket is permitted.

As one embodiment of such driving mechanism, I provide a shaft 26 rotatably mounted in a frame 27 which is journalled on the shaft 21 between the bearings 22 and 23. In the form of driving mechanism shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, the frame 27 constitutes a casing for bevelled gearing and may be filled through an opening 28 with lubricant so that the bevelled gearing may run in a bath of lubricant. One of the bevelled gears bearing numeral 29 is keyed to the shaft 21, and the other bevelled gear bearing numeral 30 is keyed to the inner end of shaft 26. A third gear of the driving mechanism takes the form'of a pinion on the outer end of the shaft 26; and is numbered 31. This pinion is engageable by the gear 15 when the bucket is moved to charging position.

As above mentioned, the driving mechanism may yield about the axis of the shaft 21 to prevent breakage of parts should the bucket 9 travel slightly past charging position. Such yielding of the driving mechanism is permitted due to the pivotal mounting of the frame 27. A pair of springs 33 extend between centering lugs 34 on the bracket 24 and ears 35 on the two sides of the frame 27. An adjustable abutment for each spring 33 is provided by a collar on the inner end of an adjusting screw 3'7 extending through each car 35. By moving these abutments inwardly by means of the screws 3'7, the yieldable positioning mechanism may be adjusted so as to bring the pinion 31 into the desired relation with the gear 15 when the bucket 9 is in charging position.

For the reasons set forth above, it is of importance to distribute the peaks of raw material uniformly about the axis of the furnace receiving hopper. This entails accurate control of the driving of the pinion 31. Such controlled driving of this pinion might be brought about by controlling the driving motor through a rheostat, or by employing with the driving motor a solenoid brake which is automatically applied whenever the supply of current to the motor is shut off. I prefer, however, to employ the control system shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4.

The motor 19 is of the reversing plugging type. In Fig. 4 is shown the lines L1 and L2 from which current is tapped for this motor. The motor 19 may be started in one direction by pushing the button ii, and releasing the button stops the flow of current to the motor. The motor may, on the other hand, be started in the opposite direction by pushing the button 42. The appropriate push button must be held down as long as the operation of the motor is to be continued. The series resistance is automatically shunted out in steps as the starting current decreases, the motor 19 gradually coming up to speed. When the bucket has reached approximately the position in which it is desired that it shall come to rest, the forward button is released and the reverse button is pushed down, instantaneously stopping the rotation of the motor and movement of the bucket. It will be understood that the panel includes the necessary relays and contactors for effecting reversing plugging operation of the motor; and preferably there are provided on the panel automatic current limit acceleration devices. Such electrical equipment is well known and need not be described in detail herein.

In order to rotate the motor in one direction, the operator holds down the appropriate push button. In order to stop rotation of the motor and accordingly stop rotation of the bucket 9, he releases the one button and presses the other to effect an abrupt stopping of the motor. The motor being reversible, the rotation of the bucket 9 may be effected in either direction and such rotation may be brought to an abrupt stop by pushing the other button.

The manner in which the skip bucket cooperates with the top of a blast furnace for charging material into the receiving hopper which surmounts the same is illustrated in Fig. 8, a part of which figure is diagrammatic in character. The traveling support 10 is shown in the position on the curved portion 49 of the track 12 which this traveling support assumes when the bucket 9 comes to rest in charging position. The blast furnace 50 is surmounted by a receiving hopper 51, the various ingredients of the stock charge including ore, lime and coke being deposited in this hopper in successive increments. From the hopper the raw materials are discharged into the furnace 50 in an annular stream. The discharge is brought about by lowering the bell-shaped valve 53 so that the raw material passes into the furnace about the periphery of the valve. It has been discovered that if there is a lack of uniformity in the stock charge before the latter is discharged from the hopper 51, this lack of uniformity carries over into the stock column in the furnace 50.

When the skip bucket 9 is brought into the position shown in Fig. 8, a flange 54 on the inwardly tapered bottom of the bucket rests upon the upper rim 55 of the receiving hopper. The bottom of the bucket 9 is provided with a discharge opening which is obturated by a bellshaped valve 56, except when material is being discharged from the bucket into the" receiving hopper. It will be noted that the raw material in the bucket is not symmetrically arranged about the axis of the bucket due to the fact that the chute 17 discharges the material into the bucket from one side thereof. Accordingly, when the valve 56 is lowered and the material discharged from the bucket into the receiving hopper 51, a peak is formed on the material in the receiving hopper. By rotating the bucket 9 through the proper angle after the increment of raw material has been deposited in the bucket 9 through the chute 17, the peak may be spotted at the desired point. By suitably distributing the peaks about the axis of the hopper 51, the segregation of fines and coarse materials may be substantially avoided.

In carrying out my improved process, successive increments of the stock charge are delivered to the skip bucket 9'. Each increment assumes substantially the formation illustrated in crosssection in Fig. 8. While the bucket 9 is still in charging position, it is rotated through the required angle to properly spot the high point or peak in the receiving hopper. For instance, the skip bucket, immediately after receiving a charge of material, is rotated about 60 clockwise. The skip bucket is then moved to' the position shown in Fig. 8 and the increment of the stock charge dropped into the receiving hopper. When the next increment has been delivered into the skip bucket 9, the same is rotated clockwise. The procedure of dumping this increment into the receiving hopper is then repeated. After the next increment has been deposited in the bucket 9, the latter is rotated through 180. This increment is deposited in the receiving hopper 51, the bucket returns to charging position and another increment of raw material deposited therein. This time the bucket may be rotated either 240 clockwise or 120 anti-clockwise. Again, the bucket is sent up to the furnace top and dumped. When the bucket is returned, it is charged with another increment of the stock charge, and immediately thereafter rotated through 300 clockwise or 60 anti-clockwise. is deposited in the skip bucket; and this time no rotation of the bucket is required, this increment being deposited from the position in which the bucket receives the increment.

It will be clearly understood from the above example that in transferring successive increments of the charge to the receiving hopper, the skip bucket is rotated each time after receiving the increment so as to properly spot the peak on the material in the receiving hopper. It is not necessary that the successive angles be each greater than the preceding. For instance, the first increment may be discharged with zero rotation, the second charge with 180 rotation, the third charge with 120 rotation, and so forth. The requisite procedure is that the peaks be evenly distributed about the axis of the receiving hopper 51, and that these peaks be sufficient in number so as to avoid the segregation of fines and coarse materials. In order to avoid substantial segregation of fines and coarse materials, more than four such peaks, and preferably as many as six are formed. The spacing of these peaks 45 about the axis 46 of the receiving hopper is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 6. The peaks and hollows are shown developed in Fig. 7, the curved lines 47 indicating the angle of repose of the various increments of the raw material. It will be noted that the peaks and hollows are very The final increment substantially evened out. The result of the absence of pronounced peaks and hollows in the re-' ceiving hopper is a uniform distribution of voids and solids throughout the charge in the stock column. It may, in certain instances, be desirable to evenly distribute the material delivered into the skip bucket 9 about the axis of this bucket. For instance, when transferring coke into the blast furnace, I prefer to rotate the bucket 9 while the coke is being delivered down the chute 17' into the bucket. This results in distributing the coke evenly about the axis of the bucket. This is particularly advantageous when such a small quantity of the ingredient isbeing charged into the receiving hopper 51 that a smaller number of peaks than four will result if such peaks are permitted to form. of course, by rotating the bucket 9 while material is being delivered thereto, the increment of raw material is symmetrically disposed in the bucket 9 and is evenly distributed about the axis of the re ceiving hopper 51 when delivered thereto. If it is deemed advisable at any time to rotate the bucket in the opposite direction for the purpose of breaking up the segregation of materials, this can be done by means of the reversible motor 19.

It will be apparent, therefore, that I have im proved the procedure in charging a skip bucket with successive increments of raw material and delivering these increments into the receiving hopper; and that this improvement is carried over into the stock column of the blast furnace so that as a result an improved product is obtained from the blast furnace.

While I have described in detail the present preferred embodiment of my invention and an illustrative procedure of operation, it will be ununderstood that the invention is not so limited but may be otherwise embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a skip charging bucket, a traveling support for the bucket, said bucket being rotatably supported thereby and having a gear for rotating the bucket, means for delivering ma terial into said bucketat a charging station, said traveling support being movable to carry said bucket to and from said charging station, and means for rotating said bucket at said charging station including a rotatable gear engageable by said first-mentioned gear by movement of the bucket to charging position.

2. In combination, a skip charging bucket, a travelling support for the bucket, said bucket being rotatably supported thereby and having a gear for rotating the bucket, means for delivering material into said bucket at a charging station, said travelling support being movable to carry said bucket to and from said charging station, and means for rotating said bucket at said charging station including a yieldably mounted gear engageable by said first-mentioned gear by 'movement of the bucket to charging position.

3. In combination, a skip charging bucket, a travelling support for the bucket, said bucket being rotatably supported thereby and having a gear for rotating the bucket, means for delivering material into said bucket at a charging station, said travelling support being movable to carry said bucket to and from said charging station, and means for rotating said bucketat said charging station including a frame pivotaly mounted" for arcuate movement, and a gear rotatably supported by said frame in position for engagement ii -r by said first mentioned gear by movement of the bucket to charging position.

4. In combination, a skip charging bucket, a travelling support for the bucket, said bucket being rotatably supported thereby and having a gear for rotating the bucket, means for delivering material into said bucket at a charging station, said travelling support being movable to carry said bucket to and from said charging station, and means for rotating said bucket at said charging station including a frame pivotally mounted for arcuate movement, a gear rotatably supported by said frame in position for engagement by said first mentioned gear by movement of the bucket to charging position, and means comprising a pair of beveled gears for driving said gearing, one of said bevelled gears being coaxial with the axis of pivoting of said frame and the other bevelled gear being operatively connected to rotate said gear rotatably supported by said frame.

5. In combination, a skip charging bucket, a travelling support for the bucket, said bucket being rotatably supported thereby and having a gear for rotating the bucket, means for delivering material into said bucket at a charging station, and means for rotating said bucket at said charging station comprising a pivotal supporting frame, bevelled gearing mounted in said frame, one of said bevelled gears being coaxial with the axis of pivoting of said frame, pinion driven by the other bevelled gear, said pinion being engageable by the gear for rotating the bucket by movement of the bucket to charging position, and means for driving said bevelled gearing.

6. In combination, askip charging bucket, a travelling support for the bucket, said bucket being rotatably supported thereby and having a gear for rotating the bucket, means for delivering material into thebucket at a charging station, said travelling support being movable to carry the bucket to and from said charging station, and means for rotating said bucket atsaid charging station including. a motor and gearing driven by said motor, said gearing comprising a pinion engageable by said gear for rotating. the bucket by movement of the bucket to charging position.

'7. In combination, a skip charging bucket, a traveling support for the bucket, said bucket being rotatably supported thereby and having a gear for rotating the bucket, means for delivering material into said bucket at a charging station, and means forrotating said bucket at said charging station comprising a pinion engageable by said gear by movement of the bucket to charging position, a motor operatively connected to said pinion for rotating the same, means for starting said motor, and means for abruptly stopping said motor.

8. In combination, a skip charging bucket, a

travelling support for the bucket, said bucket being rotatably supported thereby and having a gear for rotating the bucket, means for delivering material into said bucket at a charging station, said travelling support being movable to carry said bucket'to and from said charging station, and means for rotating said bucket at said charging station including a reversing plugging motor, a pinion driven by said motor, said pinion being engageable by said gear by movement of the bucket to charging position, and electrical control 9. In combination, a skip charging bucket, a.

travelling support for the bucket, said bucket being supported thereby" for rotation about a substantially vertical axis and having a gear for rotating the bucket, means for delivering material into said bucket at a charging station, and means.

for rotating said bucket at said charging station including a rotatable gear engageable by said first-mentioned gear by movement of the bucket to charging position.

10. In combination, a skip charging bucket, a travelling support for the bucket, said bucket being rotatably supported thereby and having agear for rotating the bucket, means for deliver ing material into said bucket at a charging station, said travelling support being movable to carry said bucket to and from charging position, and means for rotating said bucket at said charging station comprising a bracket, driving mechanism for said gear pivotally mounted in said bracket, said driving mechanism including a pinion engageable by said gear by movement of the bucket to charging position, and a spring permitting arcuate yielding of said pinion about the pivotal mounting of said driving mechanism.

11. In combination, a skip charging bucket, a travelling support for the bucket, said bucket being rotatably supported thereby and having a gear for rotating the bucket, means for delivering material into said bucket at a charging station, said travelling support being movable .to carry said bucket to and from charging position, and means for rotating said bucket at said charging station'including a bracket, means mounted .for arcuate movement relative to'said bracket for rotatably supporting a pinion, a pinion rotatably supported thereby, a shaft coaxial With the axis of pivoting of said pinion supporting means, operative driving connections between said shaft and said pinion, and a spring'permitting arcuate yielding of said pinion supporting means, said pinion being engageable by said gear by movement ofthe bucket to charging position.

12. In combination, a skip charging bucket, a travelling support for the bucket, said bucket being rotatably supportedthereby and having a gear for rotating the bucket, means for-delivering material into said bucket at a charging station, said travelling support being movable to carry said bucket to and from charging positiongand' means for rotating said bucket at said charging station including a motor, a shaft driven by said motor, driving mechanism pivotally mounted on the axis of said shaft, and a spring permitting arcuate yielding of said driving mechanism about the axis of its mounting, said driving mechanism travelling support for the bucket, said bucket being rotatably supported thereby and having a gear for rotating the bucket, means for delivering material into said bucket at a charging station, said travelling support being movable to carry said bucket to and from charging position, and means for rotating said bucket at said charging station including a gear engageable by said first-mentioned gear by movement of the bucket to charging position, electrically driven means for driving said gearing, said driving means comprising means for abruptly stopping rotation of said gearing.

KARL ST NBACI-IER. 

